A quick search brought up a mountain of websites describing this wonder. It turned out to be Prohodna Cave. It lies in Bulgaria, within the Iskar-Panega Eco-Park, near the village of Karlukovo. Just a stone’s throw from Sofia — a mere 112 kilometres. And although I was sincerely impressed, the place felt oddly familiar. A strange feeling, given that I’d never actually been to Bulgaria…
Turns out, the mystery was easily solved. According to rumours, one of the scenes from the movie The Turkish Gambit was filmed right here. Remember the part where a spy arranges to meet Fandorin in a cave behind the camp? Even back then, while watching, I’d noted the striking location but never really wondered where it might be. Apparently, the resemblance was no coincidence.
Prohodna’s cinematic résumé is quite impressive. It has appeared in Russian films: In Search of Captain Grant, Hour of Wrath, and He’s a Dragon. It featured in the Bulgarian historical drama Time of Parting (Vreme razdelno) and the French film The Last Neanderthal. Hollywood even dropped by — in 2019, The Way Home (USA/UAE/Poland) was shot here. And, most likely, the list doesn’t end there.
The cave officially goes by the no-nonsense name Prohodna (Prohodna Cave). But first the locals, then everyone else, started calling it something entirely different. “God’s Eyes” — it sounds majestic. Other variations also exist: “Lord’s Eyes” and even the slightly eerie “Devil’s Eyes.”
It all comes down to the cave’s ceiling. Nature carved two huge, eerily symmetrical openings into it. The resemblance to a pair of eyes is genuinely mystical. Witnesses say that during a full moon or when rain trickles down the stone “eyelids,” the illusion becomes almost unbearably real.
But there is plenty here for thrill-seekers too. The local limestone cliffs, like a magnet, draw climbers and mountaineers with their texture and solidity. Bungee-jumping enthusiasts also flock to the spot. Leaping with an elastic cord into the stone maw of the cave is a special, unparalleled kind of extreme.
Но есть здесь раздолье и для искателей острых ощущений. Местные известняковые скалы, словно магнит, притягивают альпинистов и скалолазов своим рельефом и твердостью. А ещё сюда съезжаются любители банджи-джампинга. Прыжки с резиновым тросом в каменный зев пещеры — это особый, ни с чем не сравнимый экстрим.
By its nature, Prohodna is a classic karst cave. Essentially, it is a giant natural tunnel — which explains its official name. The tunnel runs for 360 metres. Overhead, it is crowned by a monumental rock bridge that stretches 260 metres. The vaults are breathtaking: at its peak, the ceiling reaches a height of 56 metres. The entrances are equally majestic — the larger opening rises 45 metres, the smaller one 35. Prohodna is rightfully considered the highest cave in Bulgaria.
